b 1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-track magnetic head suitable for recording and reproducing high rate signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
To record and reproduce broad-band signals from media such as high quality video tape recorders (VTRs) or digital VTRs, research on increasing the relative speeds between tapes and heads and on multi-channeling have been underway. According to conventional analog recording, in the case of multi-channel recording, it is required that track positions among heads (a distance from a head base to gap ends specifying signal positions recorded on a tape by the heads) and that gap intervals be extremely accurate. High accuracy, however, is not so much required in terms of the gap intervals, since it is possible for digital recording to digitally process reproduced signals. Multi-channel recording is thus permitted by such a plurality of head chips bonded to one head base.
In the case that a plurality of head chip are installed on one head base, in order to attain stable contact with a tape, it is recommended that the head chip intervals be as small as possible. However, if the width of a head chip is narrow, it is extremely difficult, from the viewpoint of accuracy in installing the head chips and the adjusting screws, to adjust the track position of each of the head chips, as has been done conventionally, with the use of adjusting screws protruding from a rotary cylinder. In light of the above, a magnetic head device is proposed in which a plurality of head chips are installed onto a head base where slits are formed, and the track positions between the head chips can be adjusted, with extremely small screws on the head base (see to Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. 63-138615). In the case of, for example, a head chip having a width of 0.5 mm, however, it would be difficult to manufacture the magnetic head device in terms of machining, even though the head base is tapered and widened and the interval between the adjusting screws is set to 1 mm. Furthermore, when adjustment to the track position is made on the head base, there is a disadvantage in that a good stability cannot be obtained after the adjustment, because the strength of a part serving as a criterion is lower, as compared with the case where a screw protruding from the rotary cylinder is a standard.